Exactly What I Need
by Panda513
Summary: PaulxOC. I am a screwed up teenager with anxiety, rage, and a bad attitude. Did I mention I was abused? He is a werewolf, with a temper problem, and he's my whole world.
1. The Protectors

A/N: Imprint story

A/N: Imprint story! Please RR! -Amanda

"Shit," I mumbled under my breath as the zipper on my jeans got stuck to the bottom of my shirt. I struggled to free it from the ripped threads, sighing as I headed out to my closet to find another top.

I had been in Forks for three weeks now, and hating every single minute of it. I was an east coast girl, that's where I belonged. My heart was in Boston but my body was stuck in this rainy town in Washington. If the weather wasn't enough to put me on Prozac, the mold growing on every living plant in this state could drive me away. Even the smell of the outdoors, the forest mixed with sleet and rain, made my stomach turn.

The only good thing about living here was that I was 5,000 miles away from my father. My parents divorced when I was ten, and my mother moved to the reservation of La Push here in Forks. My mother had family here, and she had property right on the water that was left for her in her great grandfather's will. She had lost the custody battle with my dad, causing her to leave me behind six years ago. I cried for months, knowing my life would be a living hell without my mother there to control my father's temper and rage.

My father was a big time defense lawyer in Boston, serving in only large televised cases, otherwise known as "big money". He was also a full time alcoholic. I was 12 when he first hit me. I came home from school, laughing and smiling to myself, after I had my first kiss from what I would call the hottest kid in junior high. Well, needless to say, my father was in the next room sleeping off a rather long night filled with Jack Daniels. The noise I made was too much for him to handle with his pounding headache, and I paid the price.

I was fifteen when I finally got the nerve to tell my mother I was being abused. After almost a year of fighting and trials, I was able to convince the courts that my father was not the man they thought he was. Of course, considering my father's standings in the Massachusetts justice system, he was excused from jail time. He was in some ways the Paris Hilton of Boston. I filed a restraining order against him, and flew out to Washington to live with my mother.

She was living by herself in a gorgeous three bedroom cottage right on the beach. It was up on a cliff, overlooking crashing waves below and followed the skyline for the entire First Beach here in La Push. My room had large bay windows, all overseeing the ocean and stretch of the sandy beach. It was located on the second highest of three cliffs. Our property was gated off, but kids still jumped from the other end of the cliffs down into the icy water below according to my mother. Apparently it was recreational sport for them.

"Addison! _Addison_!" My mother's strong voice called from the kitchen. "You're going to be late!"

I was off to meet Leah and Seth Clearwater. Their mother, Sue, had become good friends with my mother over the past six years she lived here. I had met both Seth and Leah once before, three years ago, when I came to visit my mother for the first and only time. Seth was young, no older than ten and Leah was in high school. Needless to say, my awkward teenage rebellion stage didn't fit in with either of their age groups. I was hoping things would be different this time, and my mother was convinced that Seth had some friends my age that I would get along with.

I took one last look in the mirror, examining myself before I headed out the door. I was pretty much your average sixteen year old. I had put on a little extra weight because of the stress that came along with my father's trials. My dark brown hair went to my shoulders, often pulled back in a bun or left down in curls. My skin was pretty clear, on the exception of a pimple or two around that time of the month. My eyes were brown as well, but strangely light, almost golden when they flickered in the sun. I was at a normal 5'6 height, and my legs were longer than average. It was the one thing I had going for me, long legs and perfect eyebrows, as my mother would say. Too bad they were covered in scars and bruises, not yet healed. My long jeans came down to my ankles, and my gray flip flops covered my feet. My newly found top was an olive color, three quarter sleeves, fit snug to my body.

"They're here, Addison!" I heard the screen door shut with a bang. "_Addy_!" My mother's piercing scream was enough to put anyone in a padded cell. Let's just say I'm not looking forward to waking up to that voice on school days.

"Jesus Christ, Mom," I muttered making my way down the stairs. "I'm here and deaf now, thanks," I stopped at the foot of the stairs, smiling sarcastically towards my mother. I turned my attention to Seth and Leah, who were now older, looking almost too old for their ages.

Leah was gorgeous; she really grew into her looks. She had dark skin and dark hair, beautiful light eyes, and she was long and lean. She stood in a pair of shorts and a tank top that hugged her figure perfectly. Seth was exceptionally tall, I would guess in the mid sixes, with large rips of muscles throughout his arms and stomach. His shoulders were broad and square, same with his chin, and he wore only a pair of khakis and flip flops.

"Hey Addison!" Seth beamed from ear to ear when he came up to greet me. I was a little surprised by his forwardness, my eyebrows rising slightly as he came up to give me a big hug. It was definitely a bear hug, almost cutting off my lungs as he held on tight. He stepped back still grinning and Leah gave me a smaller and softer (I was appreciative) hug.

"Hey guys, it's good to see you," I smiled in their direction and Leah relaxed and smiled back.

"You kids have fun," My mother chimed in and disappeared from our sight back to the kitchen.

"So," I started staring down at the floor. "What do you guys do around here?"

"Lots of stuff," Seth said excitedly. Leah rolled her eyes.

"Way to be specific, Seth," I laughed at her sarcastic comment. I knew Leah and I would hit it off, she seemed like she had an attitude problem, and that's exactly what I need. I headed for the door and Leah and Seth were on my tail.

"So, what's first on the agenda?" I asked, pulling down my sunglasses around my face. It was the start of summer here and the weather was surprisingly sunny.

"It's time to meet the boys." My eyes lit up at this sentence. Thanks for my sunglasses; they were clearly hidden out of view. So what if I was boy crazy, I was sixteen!

"Who are the boys?" I questioned apprehensively as we made our way down the rocky path to the beach.

"The protectors," Leah muttered. We had come to a halt and Seth was waving over four large boys, _huge_ boys, almost men in my eyes. They all looked alike, dark russet skin, cropped black hair, and muscular. All I can see was muscles, as a matter of fact, as they made their way over to where we were standing. They were all shirtless, wearing only board shorts or cut off jeans and bare feet. As they approached I saw them come into view one by one.

Seth nodded towards me and I stepped forward taking my sunglasses off.

"Guys, this is Addison, she just moved here from Boston." The last boy was looking behind him, waving another guy to join us. I couldn't see either him or his friend, as his back was to me. "Addison, this is Jacob, Jared, and Quil."

The three boys came up to me and shook my hands with huge smiles on their faces. "It's nice to meet you guys," I smiled and exhaled, feeling relived from the tension I first felt.

"Earth to Paul," I heard Seth say as the fourth boy whipped his head around. I lifted my sunglasses, and matched his eyes with mine.

Three things all happened simultaneously. A breeze came blowing Paul's hair out of his eyes as his stare burned into my gaze. I felt myself shift uneasily as he continued gawking in my direction, and the boys to his right all seemed to watch Paul continue to stare and then look in absolute shock in my direction. His mouth made an "o" shape and he his brows furrowed. His eyes never left mine and I was becoming quite uncomfortable. I had to break the silence.

"What? Do I have something on my face?" I asked quickly, putting my hand up to my mouth. Paul said nothing, continuing to stare. I suddenly felt Leah yank my arm around to face her.

"C'mon, Addison, let's go." Her tone was icy when she spoke. I obeyed silently, wanting to get the hell out of the awkwardness.

"Leah, what the fuck," I whipped my head back to see Jacob right behind me, the first boy she introduced me to. He stared at Leah while I stared right at him. He finally met my gaze and smiled shyly.

"What the hell is your friend staring at?" My blood was boiling and I didn't even know why. I take after my father with rage issues, sometimes going into complete blackouts even, and this kid was getting on my nerves and quick.

"W-What?" He stuttered, almost unsure of what I asked.

"Why is your friend staring at me?" I looked back towards Paul, who was still giving me this pathetic wide-eyed glance as if I was a lost puppy. "Hey, Paul," My voice startled him out of his trance, his eyes going back to their normal size. "What's your fucking problem?" He looked surprised and Jacob closed in, blocking my view of him. He placed his hand on my forearm, holding it tightly.

"Addison, maybe you should leave," He said quietly, as if he didn't want me to hear. Before I even had a chance to respond back, Paul barged up on the other side of Jacob grabbing his shoulder roughly.

"Get your fucking hands off her," He growled and Jacob hesitantly took a step back towards Quil and Jared. He looked over at me again, and I stepped back from him crossing my arms at my chest. "Hey are you alright?" He asked me with so much concern in his voice, as if I was fragile, and the slightest touch would injure me. Boy was he wrong.

"Yeah," I didn't even know why I responded so timidly. When he was staring at me, something clicked; my words were screaming in my head to come out but my mouth wouldn't allow them too.

Leah suddenly was behind me again, grabbing at my waist. I spun to see her, and she had a huge smile on her face.

"What's so funny?" I asked her, skeptic.

"Nothing," She replied smugly, and it aggravated me. I threw my arms up in the air.

"What the hell is going on? I feel like I'm in the fucking Twilight Zone or something." I just shook my head and raced back up towards the rocky path. His deep, husky voice called out behind me.

"Can I walk you home?"

…..please RR guys! More chapters to follow with more reviews!


	2. Bring On The Thunder

"Can I walk you home

"_Can I walk you home?"_

I whipped my head around at the sound of his voice. Was it so bad to think that I could listen in to that for the rest of my life? My thoughts shook me, what the hell was I thinking? I met his eyes, and again, he had a wide eyed glance sending butterflies straight to my stomach.

"That's really not necessary," I explained, nodding my head towards the cliff behind me. "I live right up this path." That's great, Addison, why don't you just tell this freak where you live?

"I don't mind," He spoke shyly, unlike his friends. He was almost timid, lost looking, in the way his body shifted from side to side unsure if he should catch up with me.

"Uh, okay," I decided not to argue. I turned around facing the path again and secretly rolled my eyes at his gesture. This kid doesn't even know me? What are his motives? I learned never to trust guys quickly; they always have something going besides their attempt to be kind. The dirty thoughts don't bother me, I am used to it, being a teenager and all. I don't believe in waiting to lose my virginity until I'm married, in fact, I haven't been a virgin since I was fourteen. It was the one thing that took my mind off my abusive life at home.

"So, did Seth say you were from Boston, Addison?" Paul was already at my side; surprisingly I didn't hear his footsteps creep up next to me.

"Yup, born and raised," I looked towards his face from the side. His eyes never left mine.

"So, I'm guessing you're not an outdoors type of girl?" He raised an eyebrow spastically.

"Actually, I like the outdoors." I turned back to look at the forest on the left side of me. "I'm a big camper, but, not exactly rustic camping." I smiled to myself and I heard him let out a chuckle. I was becoming more and more comfortable with him as we approached the top of the path.

"Is this your house?" He pointed to my cottage.

"This is it, it's cool, huh?" I never looked at it from this angle before. It was quite a peaceful place to live; it looked like an average dream house.

"It's awesome," He noted. Immediately, his face furrowed in concern. "I don't know about during storms though, it may get a little uneasy." He looked over towards me noticing my face drop. "Do you not like thunderstorms?"

"I _hate_ thunderstorms." I emphasized the word. "They remind me of," I trailed off unable to continue. My head looked down towards the ocean, the waves whipping and crashing against the rocks.

"They remind you of what?" Paul asked, taking one step towards me so I could see his face. He had a wary look in his eye.

"Just being home alone," I finished quickly. "I was alone a lot in Boston." I admitted shyly. Paul's face suddenly changed, his eyes narrowed into slits, his jaw rigid.

"I'm sorry," Anger was evident in his tone. "I wish there was something I could do." I looked at him puzzled, unsure of how to take his statement.

"Do you want to go for a walk?" I blurted out. Strangely, I wasn't ready to say goodbye to him yet. His face lit up, the anger disappearing from his expression.

"Sure," Paul turned on his heels. "Anywhere in particular?"

"Well, I did go on this one trail a few nights ago that was really cool. By the north side of the beach," I pointed over towards the back of the largest cliff. "If it hadn't got so cold out, I would have followed it into the forest." I explained as we walked towards the road.

"You went hiking at night?" He stopped dead in his tracks. He turned to face me; an excruciating look fell upon his face. "You weren't alone, were you?"

"Yeah," I breathed out, my breath barely escaping my lips. "Why?"

"Addison," He mumbled, almost to himself. "Promise me you won't go walking those trails alone again." I concentrated on his right hand, half extended to me, and trembling.

"Seriously?" I questioned. "Are you seriously asking me that?" I almost let out a laugh. What the hell does this kid care if I'm walking alone through the forest?

"Bears," He blurted out, quickly enough for me to take notice. "There were some bear attacks a few weeks ago."

"Oh, wow," I stated, shocked. "That's fucking crazy."

"Uh huh," He breathed almost out of relief. "Just don't do it again," He was sterner with his demand this time.

"Okay," I sighed, unable to find a reason to argue with him. We continued down the dirt road, Paul seeming to move closer to me with each step. Our arms brushed and a shock ran down the length of my spine, my head spinning. His voice broke my silent admiration.

"Why'd you move here anyway?" He asked as my breathing became uneven.

"My mom lives here," I muttered quickly letting my eyes divert to my feet.

"Oh," He spoke quietly. "You were living with your father in Boston?"

"Yeah," I let out a silent breath of air. "He got custody of me after they divorced." His eyes appraised me uneasily, as if he didn't know what to say. My fingertips started going numb, my thumb and index finger shaking slightly. I slide my hand behind my back, hoping Paul wouldn't notice. Panic was over washing me; sometimes it happened if my father was brought up in a conversation.

"Wait," He pondered as we continued walking up towards the highest cliff. "Then why did you end up with your mom?" He looked over to me and I saw concern wash over his face until I snapped my eyes shut. My lungs felt like they were constricting with my breathing, and my hands trembled before I felt the weakness hit my knees. I stumbled over to a rock formation by the far end of the cliff, easily bending my knees to a sitting position before they gave out. "Addison," Paul's hot breath was on my neck and cheek as I felt him leaning over me. "What's the matter?!"

"N-Nothing," I stuttered out, feeling the bile rise deep in my throat.

"Addison, you don't look so good, tell me what's wrong," Paul demanded sliding down on his knees in front of me. He placed his hands on the tops of my thighs, but I couldn't feel the contact. My body was completely numb as I looked down, putting my head in my hands.

"I-I just need a minute," I explained. I began rubbing my temples with my index fingers in an attempt to calm myself.

"Okay," Paul's voice was anxious. "Okay, shh, you're okay," I suddenly felt his warm hands on my waist, steadying me as I realized I was wobbling. I felt embarrassed, never really having a panic attack in front of anyone besides my best friend and family before.

"Sorry," I apologized and tried to stand only to have his hands find one of my shoulders and the skin on my lower back.

"No, stay down, don't try and stand," He gently pushed me back down to a sitting position. I looked up to meet his eyes and noticed his filled with uncertainty and terror. "You're scaring me, Addison," He admitted. "Do you need a doctor? Please tell me what I can do!"

"I need my pills," I breathed out a laugh.

"Pills?" He grabbed my face in his large hands. I felt like I was on fire. "Where are your pills?"

"My," I coughed and Paul's hand diverted up to the center of my back and began rubbing circles. "My house," I spit out as I groaned. I felt my arms again, and my hands slowly woke up from the numbness. My hands, clammed with sweat, found either side of the rock I was sitting on and pushed myself up. Paul didn't object he just wrapped his arm around my waist, his other handing grabbing a hold of mine.

"Maybe I should carry you," He wondered out loud as I furiously shook my head.

"It's just a panic attack, really," I felt the blood flowing back into my veins, my head clearing as one foot stepped in front of the other. "I get them a lot, I'm fine," Blush rushed to my cheeks, suddenly feeling the embarrassment.

"You have pills for these attacks?" He gripped my waist tighter to him, my feet barely touching the ground as I felt him pulling most of my body weight.

"Yeah," We approached the gravel driveway of my house, noticing my mother's car wasn't there. "I can take it from here," I tried to struggle free from his grip as we got to the front door.

"No way," He muttered opening the door for me as I stepped through. He led me in as I pointed towards the kitchen. I reached out and pulled on a wooden chair. Paul picked me up from under my arms as if I were a toddler, and placed me in the seat. I grumbled. "Where are your pills?" He asked, brushing a few pieces of hair off my forehead. I struggled to breathe.

"The cabinet, next to the stove," I pointed over towards our medicine cabinet. He scurried towards the stove, whipping open the small door, nearly breaking the handle. "It says xanax on the bottle," I yelped. His eyes scanned the cabinet, placing his hands on the small orange bottle when he found it.

"Here," He handed me the bottle. "I'll get you some water." I struggled to open the child safety lid, but was able to have it off by the time Paul was back with a glass of water. I scooped two pills in my shaky hands and gulped down the entire glass of water within a matter of seconds. Paul carefully assessed my reaction with curious eyes.

"Thanks," I took a deep breath, taking in a sigh of relief. I knew the pills would start to kick in soon. "I feel so embarrassed." I admitted to him, looking him in the eyes.

"Don't be embarrassed." He said sternly. "I think I was panicking more than you were." He stifled a weak laugh. I couldn't help but smile up at him, his eyes sparkling. "You have a beautiful smile," His eyes were staring straight into mine as he placed his hand on the tips of my fingers.

"Thanks," I felt awkward, sliding my fingers away from the extreme heat of his hand. I noticed a piece of paper to my right, with my mom's handwriting. I slid it over towards me, reading it.

Addy,

The hospital needs me to work the overnight shift. The nurses are short staffed.

I'll be home in the morning, try to stay out of trouble. There is food in the fridge.

Make sure the windows are closed later today, a storm is coming in.

Call me with any problems.

Mom xoxo

"What is it? You okay?" Paul's voice caught my attention and I cleared my throat.

"Oh, yeah," I started. "My mom is working the overnight shift at the hospital. She was just letting me know." I showed the note to Paul. "Anyways, thanks for helping me. I better get these windows shut; I don't know how bad the rain comes in." I got to my feet heading over to the first window I saw.

"Let me do it," He interrupted me. "Just stay on the couch and relax, I'll handle the windows."

"No, Paul, it's fine, I can do it." I argued back. "Besides, I feel like a charity case."

"You're not a charity case, Addison," He put his hand on my shoulder, stopping me from reaching out for the window. "I'm serious, sit down. I will pick you up and put you on the couch if you don't listen to me." Suddenly, the butterflies were back and in full effect. I felt this strange connection to him and every time he touched me I got chills deep inside my core.

"You're a pain in the ass, you know that?" I told him as I threw my hands up in defeat heading towards the living room.

"Get used to it," He muttered as he disappeared. I heard various sounds of the windows slamming throughout the house as I plopped down in front of the television.

I wanted to ask him to stay with me, but I wasn't sure how to approach him. Would he even want to? I knew I was better, the xanax kicked in, so there really was no need for him to hang inside with me. I was afraid of the storm coming; we just talked about how I hated them. Would he remember and just stick around in case? My thoughts came to a halt as I found him locking the last window in the living room.

"All done," He said smugly. "We are ready to rock and roll, bring on the thunder!" He joked as I groaned. "Oh shit, you hate storms, don't you?" I nodded.

"This house is going to freak me out, you know, being so close to the water." I raised my eyebrows and stood up, walking towards the closed window. I peered behind the drape, noticing the normally crowded beach was empty, dark clouds coming in over the far side of the cliffs. "Looks like the storm is already here," I muttered. "You better head home, Paul, so you don't get caught in it."

"Are you kidding me?" He laughed. "I'm not leaving."

"What?" I gasped thrashing my head around to look at him.

"You said you hate storms, right?" He raised his eyebrows, smirking crookedly. "Besides, your mother is at work all night and you hate to be alone." He had a point, damn it for talking too much, Addison!

"I'm used to it," I said softly causing his facial expression to change.

"So I heard," He whispered disappointedly. The first loud crack of thunder boomed and shook the house. I was still standing by the window, the loud noise causing me to jump up and back towards Paul.

"Holy shit! That was fucking loud!" I half screamed over another long roar of thunder settling in above us.

"Oh yeah," He smirked and walked over so he was directly in front of me. "I'm staying."


	3. With The Rain, Comes The Pain

"Oh yeah," He smirked and walked over so he was directly in front of me

"_Oh yeah," He smirked and walked over so he was directly in front of me. "I'm staying."_

Another crack of thunder went off louder than a firework, and I flung myself into Paul's chest. The floorboards underneath me shook, and the darkness settled into the sky. It was pitch black outside when the wind started to pick up, the lone tree outside scraping up against the window.

Paul rotated us so his back was towards the window and I was away from it, still buried into his chest. It felt good there. Normally, I wasn't this forward, but with Paul it just felt right. I felt whole again, for the first time in a while.

"I got you," He said close to my ear. "It's alright." He anxiously rubbed his arms up and down my back until the thunder stopped. I had never heard thunder last for that long, chilling me to the bone. The rain hadn't even hit yet.

I leaned back up, realizing I was still hugging his chest, my hands covering my face as I walked back to the sofa.

"What should we do?" I asked Paul, trying to divert the subject.

"Your house, your rules," He pointed at me. "What do you want to do?"

_Have sex with you. First in this living room, right here, on the floor, then move to my bed. _

My dirty thoughts were screaming at me. I tried as hard as I could to keep them from coming up like word vomit.

"We could watch a movie," I suggested. He smiled at me, my knees instantly went weak. I pointed over to the pile of movies, still in a moving box, in the far corner of the living room. "Let's go pick one." We walked over to the box, both sitting down Indian style in front of it. Another boom went off and before I could even tense, Paul placed his hand on the center of my back, rubbing small circles. He immediately calmed me.

"Alright, what do we have here," Paul spit out rhetorically. He shuffled through the movies. "_A Walk to Remember_?" He lifted his brow at me, holding back a laugh. I picked it up and discarded it to the bottom of the pile.

"No, too sad," I sighed. I could feel Paul's eyes on me. "_Can't Hardly Wait_?" I asked him, finding the movie in the stack.

"Whatever you want," He whispered, I could feel his hot breath in my hair. I let out a small moan, quickly regretting it. His face, still hot against my ear, tickled the skin of my throat. I could turn my head, right now, and kiss him. He would expect it, and I doubt he'd pull away. I slowly drifted my eyes to find his and began rotating towards his direction before the loudest crack of thunder went off, scaring me senseless.

"Ah!" I yelped and sucked in my breath as all the lights went off. The power was out, and I couldn't see an inch in front of me. "Nahhh," I moaned, whipping my hands up to try and feel in front of me. Paul grabbed my waist from behind, pulling me into his lap.

"Shh, Addy, it's fine, I'm right here." He whispered my nickname. I breathed a sigh of relief as his comforting hand rubbed my back again. I quickly recovered.

"Well, there goes the movie idea!" I grumbled to myself. He laughed, his throat vibrating against my shoulder blade. Before I could grasp at how close he was, I felt his lips brush my bare skin on my shoulder. I shuddered under his touch. I felt him leave a kiss there, and I shut my eyes breathing deeply.

"Are you calm?" He asked attentively. I simply nodded my head, unable to find my voice. "Good," He stated, as the feeling of his lips on my shoulder was no longer present. I instantly missed his touch, though his arms still gripped my waist.

"Let me find some candles," I muttered slowly, staggering to my feet. I heard Paul stand as well when I made my way to the kitchen. My head was spinning in every direction possible and my knees trembled with anticipation for what was to come. I opened the first drawer I saw, pulling out a book of matches and a few long tapered candles. Paul appeared from the living room carrying two fragranced jar candles that were on the coffee table.

"Do you have any matches?" He asked, bringing the candles over to the kitchen table.

"Yeah," I gave him the book in my hand. "Here you go," Our fingertips touched slightly as I passed the matches to him and a jolt of electricity ran down my arms and spine. It seemed every time we made the smallest amount of contact, my body would turn to jello.

"Thanks," He muttered, his eyes blaring into mine. I knew, right then and there, the connection between us was evident on both ends.

I watched him strike the match on the side of the small box, and light the first candle. Before he could pick up the second one, I threw myself at him, planting a kiss right on his lips.

He moaned against my mouth, his hands finding the small of my back. I felt only his fingertips touching me. His lips met my fast pace, parting, slipping his tongue through to find mine. My hands grabbed his face, his cheeks in particular, pulling his face further down closer to mine. I stood on my tip toes as I felt Paul's hands move higher to my mid back. His mouth left mine and I groaned missing the presence of his warm lips. His head tilted to the side as he left small butterfly kisses on neck and earlobe. His hands wound around to the front of me, gliding underneath my bra line. I moaned in a surprised sigh, louder than the rain that started pouring outside. I ripped my hands from Paul's face, grabbing the ends of my shirt and pulled it over my head. Paul moved his mouth away from my body in order to remove my shirt as his breath came out in ragged thrusts. Once my shirt was off my body, I pulled him closer to me again, as he glided his hands down across my breasts, ending up at my stomach. He rubbed small circles around my belly button as we continued to kiss with more passion that I have ever experienced. It was not your typical hook up, even though I had met him only hours before. The fire and electricity coursing through my body was much too intense for a simple night of pleasure.

When his right hand started to unhook the clasp of my jeans, my head thrust back causing a low growl to escape his throat. He continued playing with the top button as his left hand left my face and moved towards my zipper. I sat back on the kitchen table, my lower back slowly leaning against it for support as Paul's face traveled down my body. He left kisses all along my neck and the top of my chest. He kissed both of my breasts through my bra, all around, paying attention to the hardness of my small mounds. My hands were playing with his chest, which was already bare. I grasped at his pecks and large muscles protruded from his upper arms. His warm tongue slipped out of his mouth tracing a line from in between my chest, down my belly button, to my waist. His hands found my sides, curling his fingers into the belt loops of my jeans. He tugged softly, keeping his lips at the bottom of my stomach, as my hands knotted in his black silk like hair. My jeans were down to my knees when his mouth began to move down along with them. He kissed my panties, and then moved to my right thigh, as he removed my pants completely. I suddenly felt his hands leave my bottom, his mouth along with it, and a gasp escaped his lips. I immediately blushed, unsure of what happened, before he looked up at me from his knees, staring in absolute horror. I cringed silently, automatically trying to close my legs as I tensed, becoming extremely self conscious.

"Addison," He panted, still breathing heavily. "What happened to your legs?"

Oh my God, my scars. Sweat beaded on my forehead as panic overwhelmed me again. Paul reached up, standing in front of my now, grabbing my face in his palms. I stood up as quickly as I could, pulling my pants back up to my waist. His thumbs wiped at the wetness underneath my eyes, as I realized I was crying. I pushed past Paul, buttoning my pants with shaky hands.

"Get out," I spit out, my arms trembling now. I fidgeted with my zipper, aggravating myself even more.

"What?" He followed behind me, surprised. His tone was concerning.

"I said," My zipper was finally up, my top still off by the floor in the kitchen. "Get the fuck out!" I yelled viciously. I didn't even bother to grab the shirt sitting on the ground as I stormed off into the hallway near the entrance.

"No," Paul spoke, his tone completely distressed. "Tell me how you got those marks on your legs!" He was mad, and I had no idea why he was. I stopped dead in my tracks, whipping around to face him, evil and resentment evident in my eyes.

"Why do you care?" My tone was low and deadly. "You don't even know me!" I let out a frustrated sigh throwing my hands up in defeat.

"You spend all day playing this game to get me to sleep with you, it finally worked, and then you,-" His mouth fell open and his eyes narrowed into small spits before he interrupted me mid sentence.

"You think today was a game? To get you to sleep with me?" He sounded wounded, hurt. "How can you think that? I care about you, Addy." I had it.

"Fine," I turned towards the door. "If you won't leave, _I will_." I said, determined. I whipped open the door as the winds blew inside the house at a high speed. My hair flew back as I walked outside not bothering to shut the door behind me. I heard his faint cries somewhere between the harsh winds and rain.

"Addison! It's a fucking hurricane out there! Get back inside, now!"

I trudged through the gravel of my driveway in my bare feet, the rocks stinging my skin. The rain was cold and coming down hard and fast. My hair and body was completely soaked, and I was shivering. I was only in jeans and a bra, my hands folded across my chest rubbing my hands up and down my arms. I slipped when I hit the paved road at the end of my driveway, falling down onto my side. My arm scraped against the pavement, blood pouring out of the shallow wound. I was hyperventilating when I felt two warm arms encircle around me, lifting me effortlessly from the ground.


	4. The Truth Behind The Pain

I slipped when I hit the paved road at the end of my driveway, falling down onto my side

_I slipped when I hit the paved road at the end of my driveway, falling down onto my side. My arm scraped against the pavement, blood pouring out of the shallow wound. I was hyperventilating when I felt two warm arms encircle around me, lifting me effortlessly from the ground._

…………………………..

My eyes drifted open to find myself cradled against Paul's chest, facing inward, as he walked back towards my house. The rain was still coming down hard, but no rain drops hit my body. Paul's shoulders were hunched over, protecting me from the cold water. I had stopped shivering, his body was so warm, too warm, and it made me sleepy. I heard his voice, but was unable to make out any words because the storm was so loud. He ran into the entrance, slamming the door behind him with this foot. Suddenly, his voice became clear, his words understood by my ears.

"Addison, you are going to be the death of me, you know that? What the hell were you thinking?!" He shuffled me over to the sofa, laying me gently on it, placing a soft pillow behind my head. He grabbed a blanket and threw it over my body. His hands rubbed up and down my arms, warming me with friction. I found his face, after blinking away the tears in my eyes, in complete panic.

"I'm sorry," I muttered pathetically.

"Baby, it's alright," He said breathlessly. I was thrilled as he used the term of endearment, but still set back. I cringed as his rough hand rubbed the cut on my arm and he winced as he pulled the blanket down off my shoulder. "Oh no, you're bleeding!" He was frantic, running towards the kitchen, opening the medicine cabinet he was in earlier for my anxiety pills. The way he was moving, he should be taking one of those at the moment. He came back to my side with paper towels and hydrogen peroxide.

"I can do that," I tried to sit up, my head spinning. Paul gently helped me so I was sitting upright, but kept his hand on the medicine.

"No, its fine, I got it," He rambled as he squirted the drug onto the paper towel and applied it to my wound. "Just relax." The peroxide stung a little, only when Paul first applied it. "You alright?" He asked, cupping my cheek with one hand while the other attended my arm.

"Yes," I told him. We stayed in silence as he finished cleaning up my arm, placing a band-aid over the cut. I watched closely as he was so careful with me, as if I was a soap bubble and could pop at any moment. I stayed sitting on the couch, and he was kneeling in front of me. He brought his lips down to my arm and kissed over the band-aid. My heart fluttered inside my chest.

"There you go," Paul sighed. "All better," Relief flashed over his expression and he let out a tamed smile.

"Paul?" I questioned.

"Yeah, Addy?" His eyes were uncertain.

"My shirt," I said, motioning towards the kitchen. His arms had me pinned to the couch.

"Oh!" He was startled and his body shot up. "I'll grab it."

He walked over to the kitchen, picking up my top from the floor. He handed it back to me moments later, as I quickly threw it over my head, pulling my arms through the holes. He took a seat next to me on the couch, placing his hand on my leg. I stared at him as he watched, pushing back a few pieces of hair that fell on my face behind my ear.

"My father," I sputtered out. He tilted his head, confused. "That's what happened to my legs."

"What do you mean?" His voice was filled with venom; his right hand trembled on my knee. His eyes were narrowed, almost closed, with a murderous expression.

"That's the reason I moved here," I explained. I was unable to grasp why I was telling him this, all I knew is that it felt right and he deserved to know the truth. "When my parents divorced, my father became an alcoholic. At first, it was always just yelling and screaming, but soon after, well, that's when his abusive side hit." Paul shuddered, looking away towards the window, not able to face me.

"I was abused for a few years before I had the guts to tell my mother." I paused. "I threatened my father before about going to her or the police, and that only provoked him. He beat me worse." Tears sprung in my eyes as the memories flashed through my head. "I fell down a lot, trying to run from him, that's where most of the scars on my legs came from. I'm not the most graceful person," Paul rose from his knees and walked towards the window, facing away from me. I stood up, and faced the back of him. "Most of the marks I got from my father were on my face and arms, but they've healed. I couldn't even tell you how many black eyes I have had over the past year or so,"

Paul raised his hand to stop me, his arm shaking.

"I'm sorry, I know it's a lot, and I shouldn't have told you, but in all fairness you asked," He turned around to face me, his expression agonizing. My chest tightened.

"Just give me a moment," He whispered, choked up. "Please," He begged. I watched as he tried to regain control of his emotions. At first he was upset, but then he seemed enraged. He displayed so many feelings my head was spinning. He looked up at me, once again, this time walking forward towards me. He picked up the pace and reached out to take me in his arms, and I broke down.

The tears poured from my eyes, as my body went limp in his. He strengthened his grip on me, picking me up in his arms. I wrapped my legs around his waist, leaving kisses and teardrops along his neck and shoulder.

"Shh," He soothed me, stroking my hair. "I won't let anything happen to you, I promise," He rocked me back and forth before he sat on the couch with me on his lap.

"Paul," I sobbed, feeling dramatic.

"Don't be anxious, Addison, I'm here to protect you," It was hard not to believe him; the seriousness in his tone was indescribable.

"I've never met anyone like you before," I told him, my sobs subsiding gradually.

"I can say the same about you," He admitted into my ear. I lifted my head to look into his eyes. His fingertips traced underneath my eyelids, wiping away stray tears. He leaned in and kissed around each one, mouthing and whispering he's sorry. He brought each arm to his lips and kissed every inch of skin on it, as I felt tears of his own drip from his eyes onto me. I brought his head up and wiped at his eyes, bothered by the fact that he was crying.

"Don't cry, please," I begged. "It bothers me to see you in pain," The overwhelming feeling of admitting this to him was relieving.

"You have no idea what you mean to me, Addison," The tingling sensation in my stomach hit again.

"But, you just met me," I told him firmly, feeling awkward. Why was our connection so strong? It's like I've known him all my life.

"It's like I've known you my whole life," My eyes widened in shock, as I thought the same seconds before.

"I know what you mean." The statement was sentimental, in every meaning.

"Oh God, Addy," He took my face in his hands, bringing our foreheads together. "If anything were to happen to you, I don't know what I would do," I felt the need to reassure him I was okay.

"Nothing will happen to me, Paul. I promise," I nodded my head. He smiled sadly at me.

"Do you know I don't even know your last name?" It's true, and I didn't know his either.

"My last name is Martone, what's yours?" I leaned down and snuggled into the crook of his neck.

"Terley," He kissed the side of my hairline.

We sat on the couch, in each others arms, for hours. We talked about our favorite foods, sports, celebrities, books, movies, everything. By the end of the night, I was absolutely sure I was in love with him. And the best part was, I was just as positive that he was in love with me, too.


	5. Unexpected Callers

**Please RR! --Amanda**

My eyes slowly opened to the sound of the house phone ringing. I felt myself barracked into two warm arms still lying on the couch. My back was resting on Paul's stomach, his hands lying on my waist. The phone rang again, though Paul's light snores remained even. I peeled myself from his grasp reaching for the cordless phone on the coffee table. Paul grunted quietly, his eyes fluttered open, finding me. I smiled at him as I grabbed the phone, fondling the buttons.

"Hello?" The thickness of sleep was evident in my voice. I cleared my throat once.

"Addy!" My mom always seemed to talk louder when she called from her cell phone, as if she was afraid I wouldn't hear her. "Addison? Are you there? This stupid phone,"

"Mom," I laughed under my breath. "I'm here, what time is it?"

"Oh! It's six in the morning, sweetie. I assumed we lost power at the house last night? I tried calling but I only got a dial tone. You're cell phone was off, too." She scorned.

"Sorry, it died. I was trying to charge it but then we lost power. I fell asleep before the power went back on, I think." I looked back towards Paul, his hand rubbing my back reassuringly.

"You slept? With the storm?" She was surprised. "Wow,"

"Yeah," I bit my lip. "I, uh, passed out pretty quickly. Long day," Paul smiled and I glared at him.

"Well, anyways honey, I was just calling to check up on you," She explained. "I'm going to sleep here, the roads are flooded. If I was to even try to get up the road to the house, I'd slide right down into the ocean." The hint of sarcasm spoke out. "So, stay in the house for now, sweetie, the rain is still coming down pretty hard." Paul's arms reached around to touch my stomach, running his index fingers up and down and in circles near my belly button. I shuddered, trying to concentrate on the phone.

"Alright, Mom, I g-g-ot it," I stuttered, trying to regain my sense of thought. Paul's warm lips hit the back of my neck and a moan escaped my lips incoherently.

"Addison? You alright over there?" She asked, concerned.

"Yes, I'm fine. I'll see you when you get home, whenever you get home." I rushed her off the phone when Paul's lips hit my free ear not occupied by the phone. He nibbled on my earlobe, panting softly. "Talk to you later,"

"Bye, sweetie," My mother ended the call, sounding slightly confused. I couldn't breathe.

Paul's arms wrapped tighter around me as I hit the end button on the cordless. I turned around and planted a kiss on his lips and he sighed, leaning back onto the couch taking me with him.

"Good morning, baby," He whispered against my cheek, before leaving a trail of kisses there.

"Morning," I muttered, still out of breath. Paul leaned in for another kiss before the phone rang again. "Damn, hold on," I reached for the phone, my tone agitated. "Hello?!"

"Addison."

My breathing stopped and this time it wasn't from Paul's kisses. My throat felt as though it was constricting like a rubber band ready to snap. I sat up, holding onto the arm of the sofa for support, and paced to the other side of the room. Paul's eyes followed me, his gaze concerning and puzzled.

"What do you want?" I lowered my voice into the phone, asking crudely.

"How are you, darling?" It was as if I could smell the alcohol on his breath from here.

"How did you get this number? You weren't supposed to know this number." I snapped, blood boiling to my face, my hand clenched into a fist. Paul rose from the couch and took a few steps towards me. He stretched one arm out, as if he was ready to grab me and make a run for it.

"I have my ways, Addison, you know that." His speech slurred. "I just wanted to check on my little girl."

"You have a lot of fucking nerve calling here," I spat out, my hands shaking. Paul closed the gap between us taking me into his arms. He tried to grab the phone from my hand but I violently shook him off.

"I miss you, Addy, it's not the same without you here." A hiccup rose from his throat.

"Fuck you, dad." Paul's face was blood red and his entire body was shuddering. He stepped back from me, a crude look in his eye before he reached out for the phone again. This time, I couldn't stop him.

"You call here again; I promise you will regret it." Paul's voice boomed into the speaker of the phone. Without waiting for a response, he ended the call, throwing the phone back towards the sofa. A sob escaped my chest, the reality of talking to my father for the first time since the trials setting in.

"I can't believe he got this number! We are going to have to change it again," I muttered walking over to the kitchen. Paul was right at my heels.

"Addison," Paul spoke but I pretended I didn't hear him.

"I hope he didn't get this address, oh no, what if he tries to come here?!" I was thinking out loud, which probably wasn't the best idea. "No way, he wouldn't." I answered my own question before opening the fridge.

"Addy," Paul tried again.

"Do you want some juice or something to eat, Paul?" I asked involuntarily, without realizing he was trying to get my attention.

"Addison!" Paul raised his voice, this time snapping me out of my trance. I turned back around to look at him, my eyes narrowing.

"What?!" I hollered back, still timid and shaking from the conversation with my father.

"Come here," He opened his arms for me, and I declined, shaking my head and turning back towards the fridge.

"I'm fine, just hungry," I grabbed the eggs and a bottle of apple juice setting it on the kitchen table. Paul's arms fell awkwardly at his sides, the look of rejection washed over his face.

"I told you last night, Addy, you have nothing to worry about." He caught my eyes with his, sincerity ringing throughout his words. "I'm here to protect you."

"You don't know my father," Shivers exploded down my spine at the thought of Paul getting caught up in this mess. I wouldn't let it happen. "So, just stay out of it. Luckily, my father was half in the bag when he called, so I doubt he'll remember you telling him off."

"I'm not staying out of this." Paul reached out to take my hand in his large one, but I swiftly grabbed the eggs, taking them towards the stove.

"Oh yes, you are," I retorted.

"You're involved, I can't stay out of it," He took a seat at the table, tapping his fingers against the wood.

"Again," I sighed, frustrated. "You don't know my father."

"You don't know me." He muttered under his breath, I was barely able to hear his words. I gasped.

"What the hell does that mean?" I cracked an egg on to the pan to hear the sizzle of the heat reacting.

"I have something I want to show you," He was careful in choosing his words, as if he was trying not to offend me. "Later tonight, you game?"

"That depends," I added another egg to the pan, letting it bubble. "Where are you taking me?"

"We'll have a bonfire on the beach," He smiled up at me. "You'll get to know a little more about where you live now, and about me and my friends."

"Fine," I agreed. "Make some toast, the bread is over by the cabinet." I pointed with my spatula to the bread box.

"Mmm," Paul walked over to me, kissing my neck. "I like my girl telling me what to do. It's sexy," He breathed in my scent. I laughed, thinking of what to say. I sighed, the irony ringing out of my tone as I turned to kiss him on the nose.

"Get used to it,"


	6. Flip Cup

**Please, RR! **

"I'll pick you up in a couple of hours, alright?" Paul nuzzled my neck softly, mumbling against my skin.

"Yeah, that works." I was able to find my voice which surprised me. He left me out of breath, searching for air. I felt his hand release mine as he walked out towards the entrance way. "Are you sure you don't want me to meet you there? The beach is only a few steps away."

"No," He was dominant in his answer. I found myself resisting the urge to argue. "I will meet you here, and then we'll walk down together."

"Fine," I snapped back as we reached the doorway. He turned to look at me once more, this time a concerning look crossed his eyes.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing, it's just," I paused and began tapping my foot to the ground. "I don't understand why I can't just walk down to the beach to meet you. If you are already going to be down there, then it's stupid for you to meet me here-" He cut me off violently.

"Because Addison! Will you just listen to me?!" I gasped when he raised his voice. I don't think so.

"No, I won't. Have fun at your fucking bonfire." I turned back and started heading towards the living room, barely able to restart my heart. It was sinking down to the pit of my stomach.

"Wait," Paul's voice came up behind me. "Wait, baby, I'm sorry." His words melted my anger immediately. Though they could have easily been an act, I was eating it right up. His tone rang with sincerity. I faced him and he put his hands on my hips.

"So, I'm going to meet you at the beach right?" I lifted my eyebrows as if I was trying to brain wash him. He looked down at his feet.

"Well, how about Leah comes and gets you? Seth?" His body was shifting nervously and I could tell he was really uneasy about me walking down alone. Realization came over me, and I almost let out a shaky breath. I stopped myself, sucking it in.

"This is because you don't want me to walk alone after dark, isn't it? You have got to be kidding me!"

"I'm not kidding you, Addison! It makes me anxious thinking about you walking alone by yourself at night." He admitted after pausing.

"There are no other motives?" I questioned. He glared at me sharply.

"I will see you at seven." He leaned in to kiss me. I accepted his lips immediately on mine. "Here," He mumbled into the kiss as I giggled.

"You bastard," I laughed again once his mouth left mine. He smiled at me before brushing his palm against my cheek and then he was out the door, disappearing down the rocky path.

……………………………..

I finished applying the last of my lip gloss, glancing into the mirror once more. I sprayed a lightly fragranced perfume on both of my wrists and neck before heading down the stairs. The doorbell rang as soon as I reached the bottom.

"Mom! I'm going out for the night, I'll be home later!" I hollered towards the kitchen where my mother was cooking.

"Okay, have fun!"

I opened the door, smiling to myself feeling more confident than ever. My jeans were tight to my thighs, belling out over my black patent leather sandals. Although they weren't the most comfortable shoes to walk in, I still loved how they looked. My shirt was yellow, falling off both shoulders, loose, with a white spaghetti strap tank top underneath. My hair was swept to one side, down and straight. My eyes were smoky, gray and silver shadow, with black eyeliner as a finishing touch. I caught Paul's eyes as he growled deep inside of his chest. I smiled.

"You look amazing," He noted. Paul was wearing a pair of khaki shorts, flip flops, and a blue button down dress shirt which was lazily unbuttoned. A white t-shirt was fit snug underneath, revealing the ripples in his stomach and chest.

"So do you," I headed outside and shut the door behind me.

"What? I don't get to meet your mother?" I almost laughed out loud before I realized he was serious.

"Uh, maybe some other time," His hand reached out for my hand, looping his fingers with mine. "Your skin is on fire! That bonfire must be pretty hot,"

"Yeah, you can say that," I didn't get his little inside joke as he we headed down the dark path. "Do you see why you can't walk down here alone?"

"No," I said honestly.

"Addison, its pitch black! If you didn't have me to guide you-"

"I would use a flashlight." I said, gripping his hand as we took steps down the rock formation of stairs. He made sure I reached the sand safely, holding my hand back just as tight.

"You're funny, you know that?" He laughed as I dusted off my jeans, the feeling of cobwebs on them.

"I try my best,"

"I haven't gotten a kiss yet," He muttered, his voice was sad. I leaned towards him, wrapping my arms around his neck. His lips captured my kiss immediately, tipping his head to the side, as he followed suit with his arms around my waist. Our kiss was hot, leaving me unsatisfied, begging for more. The darkness was soothing, and the rocks had enough privacy to do what we pleased. I began to tug at Paul's shirt as his tongue danced in my mouth. He pulled away, breathing heavily, keeping his hands on my lower back.

"Maybe we can just stay over here for a while," I suggested outwardly, leaving kisses down his neck.

"Nah, Addy, we have to go meet my friends," I felt the feeling of rejection and a pout formed on my face. "You know I want you, baby, don't act like that," He murmured, pecking at my lips.

"Fine, fine," I smiled before reaching for his hand again. "Let's go,"

We walked towards the bright yellow flames, the sounds of voices, mostly boys, ringing in my ears. As we approached the circle, I noticed the figures of six boys standing around. They were all huge, tall, and built. As we got closer, I recognized a few that I had met yesterday at the beach, all but one, and Seth was among them.

"Hey guys," Paul greeted them, wrapping his arm around my waist. I felt sort of awkward considering we had just met yesterday, and already we were acting like a couple in front of his friends. It had me lost in thought. "Everyone remember Addison?"

All of the guys said hellos to me, making me feel very welcome. They didn't seem to be bothered at all by the fact of Paul's closeness to me, as if it was normal. Has he introduced other girls like this before? Immediately after meeting them? Am I not the girl that I thought I was to him? My stomach sickened.

"Sam," Paul pulled me alongside him, as I could barely feel the sand anymore. "This is Addison," I reached my hand out to shake his. He smiled and accepted.

"Nice to meet you, Addison," Sam's hand was just as hot as Paul's.

"You too, Sam," Paul rubbed my shoulders and met my glance, giving me a reassuring smile. One of the boys, Jared I believe, walked over to us.

"Who's down for a game of flip cup?" My eyes widened before I spoke.

"I am! And, I'll kick all your asses at it, too," I pointed to all of them and they laughed out loud.

"You're on!" One of the boys yelled as we walked over to the table. A game was already set up, a small keg next to the table with ice. Paul laughed at me and then whispered in my ear.

"Are you sure you want to play? The guys get pretty competitive," I laughed at his concern.

"Of course I want to play; this was my game back home." Seth came over and grabbed my arm away from Paul.

"C'mon, Addy, you're on my team!" I noticed Sam filling up the cups from the keg. I went to one side of the table with Seth, Quil, and Embry. The other side Paul lined up with me at the end, then Jared, Jacob and Sam.

The boys were already fired up as Sam was setting up the cups in front of us. Paul and I stood close to each other at the end of the long folding table as they began shouting threats back and forth. I stiffened as my adrenaline rushed, hoping to impress Paul's friends.

"Don't worry," He leaned towards me. "I'll protect you,"

"Alright! Enough!" Jacob yelled, spreading his arms out. "Sam and Embry, you guys are starting. Paul and Addison, you guys are anchors." I stuck my tongue out at Paul and he shook his head. "One, two, three, GO!"

"Go Embry!" I screamed as he downed his beer in one sip, he was taking forever to flip the cup. "Nice and easy, don't think about it!" Sam already had his cup flipped and Jacob was now chugging his drink. Finally, Embry used one finger and it hit the table perfectly. Quil picked up his beer and finished it, but Jacob was already done. Jared chugged his beer just as Quil flipped it perfectly in two shots, leaving Seth to catch up. He took more time then the rest of them to drink, but Jared was having trouble landing the flip. Finally, they both flipped together, and they landed on the table right. It was tied, and now Paul and I had to finish it up. I scooped my beer and swallowed all of it in one gulp. I had it on the table and flipped before Paul even finished his cup.

"Yes!" We all shouted as the boys from the other team booed. Paul was amazed.

"Damn, woman!" Paul laughed, choking on the remainder of his beer. "Impressive."

"Well, I did say it was my game," I winked.

"Yes, I guess you did," Paul smiled, kissing me in front of his friends.


	7. Tell Me What I Need To Hear

**Hey Guys! Thanks for all the nice reviews. **

**I actually had a really good time writing this chapter, and I love the ending, some Addy and Jacob bonding.. sort of, haha! Please review, and the next chapter will be up shortly. **

**--Amanda**

My mind was cloudy by the time the boys were packing the table up into Sam's truck. I stumbled my way down to the water, plopping down onto the soft sand. I watched the waves crash up to the shore, the moon so bright it was blue, giving off just enough light to make out the jagged cliffs surrounding the beach. I sighed contently, removing my shoes from my feet. I pushed my toes through the warm sand, burying them entirely. I heard his quiet laugh as he came up behind me, before he sat down next to me.

"How you feeling?" Paul asked and a smile crept across his face.

"Drunk," I muttered, laughing deep in my chest.

"You were the best at the game, though. That's got to make you feel good that you kicked all of our asses." His voice came out in echoes as I felt the need to lie back.

"I did tell you I was good, I don't lie." I snickered at him before falling back hitting my head off the sandy beach. "Ow!"

"Oh, you okay, Addy?" I was laughing so hard that I barely heard his question. He laughed to once he realized I was fine. He was so overprotective.

"Why are you so overprotective?" I figured I was past the point of being able to keep my thoughts from becoming words. He laid his head back to be level with mine before he grabbed my hand, tracing circles over my palm.

"There are a lot of things you don't know about me, Addison." His eyes assessed mine as I tried to pay attention to his voice. "I want to tell you, but I'm afraid you won't understand."

"Try me," I challenged him. The crease in his eyes feathered out, his smile reappearing.

"Oh yeah, like I am going to explain my life story now, Drunky Brewster!" Paul brought my hand up to his face and kissed the top of it.

"I am not _that_ drunk, "I stated firmly. "Besides, I am still conscious."

"Barely," He fought back laughing at me. "You look like you are going to pass out any minute." Paul's arms wrapped around my body and he pulled me so I was on top of him. I felt my body vibrate along with Paul's deep laughter. I ran my hands along his face, caressing his cheek and tracing the lines around his eyes.

"Just tell me one thing," I whispered, catching his eyes. "Please,"

His eyes filtered into mine as I felt my whole body erupt with shivers. His eyes were filled with so much emotion I felt my heart sputter out of control. Carefully, he brushed my hair alongside my face with his hand, grabbing the stray pieces from in front of my eyes, to push them behind my ear. I placed my hands on his chest, my right automatically going over his heart. I kept them still as he continued touching my face, everywhere. This was absolutely the most intimate moment we've shared, or that I have shared with anyone. He traced my bottom lip with his thumb before cupping my cheek and bringing his head up to kiss me. It was short, but sweet, our lips formed perfectly around each others. He released me and put his head back down before he sighed deeply.

"I love you," Paul breathed out. "Did you know that?"

"Yes," I don't know why I answered so quickly, or why I choose to answer yes. All I know was that in this moment, drunk or not, I had fallen hard and fast. "I love you,"

"You do?" Paul asked me skeptically, his eyes wide with my response.

"Yeah," I reassured him as a goofy grin hit my face. "And it's not the alcohol," I let out before he could even assume.

He smiled against my lips as he brought my head down to his. Our kiss sped up, my tongue gliding along his mouth as his hands found the hem of my shirt. I pushed my hands to the sides of his chest, trying to work his arms through his shirt holes. He laughed as his elbow got caught, and flipped me so I was underneath him. I watched him glide out of his shirt with ease, coming back to contact with my lips immediately after. I couldn't help the moan the involuntarily escaped from my throat when his kisses found my neck. A light breeze passed through, coming up from off the water, the smell of salt stinging under my nose. Paul's head whipped up, his body flew back to land on two feet within a matter of seconds, his legs still bent and his body trembling. His lips turned into a thin line and his teeth were bared in a snarl. A dangerous growl erupted from his chest.

"Paul, what's wrong-"

"Addison, you have to go," I sat up quickly, my head dizzy from the beer. I rested my head in my hand as I got to my feet with Paul's help. His entire arm was shaking.

"What is going on?" I demanded as he half carried, half dragged me up towards the road.

"Sam!" Paul roared at the darkness. Sam and Jacob appeared from the dirt road, running towards us.

"Jacob will take Addison to Emily's," Sam stated. "She'll be safe there,"

"Who's Emily? Wait, Paul, please, tell me what's going-," He cut me off again feverishly.

"Addison!" He snapped. "Go with Jacob, I will come and get you in a few hours." Paul's voice was hard as a rock. I cringed recalling just moments before he brought his guard down to tell me he loved me. Tears sprung to my eyes.

"Come on, Addison," Jake's large hand tugged on my elbow. "It's okay, I promise," His voice was calm but his body language was telling another story.

"Paul! Where are you going?!" I tried to release myself from Jacob's grip but was unsuccessful. Sam was already half way down the rocky dirt road, Paul fresh on his heels. He turned when he heard my voice, running back to me quickly. He grabbed my face in his warm hands.

"I'll be okay, baby," He kissed my lips urgently. "I'll see you soon; listen to Jacob and Emily, okay? Please don't be stubborn. I'll be back to get you before you can miss me. I love you," His lips touched my forehead before he was running towards Sam. Paul's words were jumbled and spoken fast, barely making sense to my ears. I watched him as tears fell on my swollen cheeks. Jacob tugged me towards the other end of the road and I wordless obeyed.

"So," Jacob started, his tone mocking. "Paul already dropped the 'I love you' bomb, huh?"

"Fuck off," I yelled back, my eyes narrowing. Jacob chuckled lightly.

"You and Paul so belong together," He muttered shaking his head as we reached Sam's truck. "Hop on in," Jake opened the passenger door for me, motioning me in with his hands.

"This is re-fucking-tarded!" I was officially in a rage black out. I stepped into the old beat up truck, huffing and puffing as I crossed my arms around my chest.

"Calm down, Addison," Jacob started the engine, his tone less mocking. The truck roared to life, it was so loud I had to cover my ears. "Ah, she purrs like a kitten."

"More like a mountain lion," I retorted viciously. Jake fell into a hoot of laughter and he sped up once we hit the paved street. Jacob began turning the knob for the radio, flicking through station after station, singing each song he came across for a few seconds before changing it again. I reached up and turned it off.

"Hey!" He complained. "I was listening to that!"

"Do you mind telling me what the fuck is going on?" I asked him, raising my voice.

"I am taking you to Emily's, Sam's girlfriend's house." He stated a matter-o-fact.

"I already know that," I growled. "Tell me something I don't know,"

"Butterflies taste with their feet," He turned his head and smiled at me.

"I can't believe this," I muttered to myself.

"It's true! I swear!" I couldn't help but let out a frustrated laugh. Jacob started to whistle and I rested my head against the uncomfortable seat. This was going to be a long night.


	8. Keeping Secrets Isn't Always Easy

**Okay, so, this next chapter is longer than my others. It kind of touches upon BREAKING DAWN; the only spoiler is that Bella is now a vampire and lives with the Cullens. She has the same power as she does in BD and her resistance as a newborn is still intact (thus the reason her and Jake are friends). Renesme does not exist in this story, I hated that plot, so let's move along. But, it is the first time I am mentioning the Cullens, and there will be more mentions later on. Bella and Jacob are strictly friends, but still care for each other deeply. Okay so here goes! **

**Please review, xoxo, Amanda.**

My eyes flew open when I heard the truck come to a screeching halt, the loud engine being turned off. I glanced over to Jacob who was still obnoxiously whistling an unfamiliar tune as he stepped out from the driver's side. I groaned as he made his way over to my door with a taunting smile.

"Out you go," He murmured quickly, opening the rusty door for me. I hopped down almost tripping over the frame. Jake had my forearm before I was able to fall.

"Is this really necessary?" I questioned, my tone a little less agitated than before. I was still aggravated and anxious, but Jacob seemed like a nice enough guy to give him the benefit of the doubt. "Why can't I just go home?"

Jake searched my eyes as if he wasn't sure how to answer the question. I returned his blank stare and he finally smiled at me.

"Paul just wants you to be safe, is all," Jacob said. "You know, taken care of."

"Right," I grunted the words all too familiar. "Of course he does."

We made our way to the small log cabin, a quiet peaceful cottage in the La Push forest. It was absolutely beautiful, the garden outside was extraordinary lit up with walkway lighting. The shudders were a deep red and against the knotty pine giving it just the right touch. As we approached the pathway filled with smooth stones I smelt something wonderful coming from inside.

"I hope you're hungry." Jacob laughed, his eyes twinkling as I could their reflection in the glass sliding door. "Don't stare, either, it's not polite."

"What do you mean? Stare at what?" I whispered up to him as he opened the door. He walked into the kitchen with me hidden behind his large frame.

"Hey, Em!" Jacob's voice was at a loud pitch as he greeted the woman. Her back was towards us as she set down what looked like cookies onto the stove. She turned around and I understood what Jacob had meant about the staring. Her porcelain face was completely mangled, at least half of it was. Her lip drooped down on one side, the other curled up to a smile. The deep red gashes, three of them, lined down the right side of her face, her neck, and as far as I could tell to the top of her chest. Her shirt and apron hid the rest from my sight. I kept my eyes on hers; afraid she would feel self conscious. I smiled up to meet her gaze.

"Jacob, what a nice surprise. Who's this?" She questioned as she walked over to greet us.

"Oh, I'm Addison," I shook her extended hand with mine. "A friend of Paul."

"Nice to meet you, Addison, what a beautiful name." Emily stated.

"Thanks," I returned the gesture. "Do you need any help?" I asked to be polite as she continued to pull more cookie sheets from the oven.

"Oh thank you sweetie, you can put the cookies over there onto that platter if you don't mind." She asked of me. "Here is a spatula."

"Sure, no problem." I went to work, filling the platter with the freshly baked oatmeal cookies, which were all perfectly proportioned in size. I heard whispers coming from the other room where both Emily and Jake had excused themselves to.

"_What do you know?"_

"_A black haired male is all, he was at the beach, right next to the water. Paul got the scent before we did."_

"_Interesting, have you called the Cullens?"_

"_No, I am actually going to do that now. I want to talk to Bella to see if they noticed anything on their side of town. She normally tells me if friends of the family are coming so we are prepared, and they never cross the boundary line. They know better."_

"_How much does Addison know?"_

"_Not much, Paul is still working out the kinks. He better explain everything tonight."_

"_Yes."_

"_Is it cool to use your phone to get in touch with Bella?"_

"_Sure, Jake, it's in the cradle." _

I was beyond confused. A black haired male that the boys picked up a scent up on? Was it some kind of animal? Who was this Bella girl and what does she have to do with this scent? Questions rummaged through my head as Emily reappeared, her smile cautious.

"I'm all done, Emily." My tone was none too pleased as I felt like I had no idea what was going on. Emily noticed.

"Thank you." Her eyes questioned me. "Paul will explain everything to you, I promise. It's just not my secret to tell."

"Fine." I was disappointed, but probably better off to hear whatever was going on from Paul's mouth. "So, are you and Sam?"

"We are engaged." She showed me the small diamond.

"Oh, congratulations. The ring is gorgeous." I ran my thumb over the stone. "I hope to get one of these someday." I let out sadly. Emily smiled with appeasing eyes.

"I'm sure you will." I coughed out a laugh. Her mouth opened slightly to say something before Jake came into the kitchen.

"What are you guys talking about?" He asked nonchalantly, while shoving two whole cookies in his mouth.

"Ew, Jacob, get some manners!" I lashed out, smacking his arm. He smiled as crumbs fell down the side of his face. I scrunched my face in disgust.

"See, I love her already." Jacob cooed in my direction and Emily laughed.

"You and Paul, huh?" Emily questioned me, cocking her head to the side, ignoring Jacob inhaling her just baked cookies.

"Yeah, me and Paul," I huffed, frustrated. "I don't get him sometimes though. He's hard to read."

"I understand, but you'll figure it out soon enough." She touched my arm reassuringly as the door creaked open. I whipped my head to see Paul coming towards me silently. His face was full of emotions; the ones staring at me were regret and concern. He wasted no time to lift me into his arms from the tops of mine and pulled me into a tight hug.

"Are you okay?" He spoke against my cheek, my body felt numb. I didn't realize how much I had actually missed him or how scared I was that he wasn't alright.

"Yeah, I'm fine." I croaked out, my voice thick with a sob escaping my throat.

"Shh, I'm right here, you're safe," His reassurance was only making it worse knowing that he had kept so many secrets from me. I kept myself up by holding onto the tips of his shoulder blades and he rubbed my back until my breathing returned to normal. The phone rang loudly and Jacob retrieved the cordless immediately.

"Hello? Hey.. Well, what happened? What's it doing here? Did Edward.. No.." Jake trailed off and met my gaze. His eyes were bemused but filled with shock. "But you're not sure who exactly.. Right.. Okay. Thanks Bella, talk to you soon." The phone call ended and Jacob's eyes left me to find Paul. I had forgotten he was right next to me, his arms still tight around my frame. I shifted to watch his face and he looked absolutely horrified and was staring straight at me.

"What's wrong?" I asked, bewildered, placing my hand against his hot cheek.

"Paul, can I talk to you a minute? Outside.." Jacob warned, before Paul stood up and walked away from me. I felt the tears come on for the second time of the night. Emily looked at me for just a moment, her eyes assessing my reaction before going back to covering the remaining cookies in plastic wrap.

I pretended to walk towards where the bathroom was, but stopped right between the door and restroom. I couldn't see the boys outside, but I could hear them talking. I was sure I was hidden enough so they weren't able to notice me. I pressed my ear to the window, listening intently.

"_The Cullens have never seen this male before. Edward, Bella, and Alice tracked him just alongside the border." _

"_What did he have to say?" Paul asked, his voice trembled with anger. _

"_He wouldn't talk. Bella and Alice both tried to convince him they meant no harm, but he just sat there and stared."_

"_But, wasn't Edward able to-?" Paul asked, confused. _

"_Yes. He picked up a scent, Paul. A scent none of the Cullens recognized. Edward got a good look at her in his head." Jacob's voice was muffled. Paul gasped. _

"_No! Don't you dare say it!" He screeched out. _

"_Damn, Paul, calm down! Addison is inside!" _

"_It's not her, right?" His voice chocked. "Please tell me it's not her scent."_

"_From what Bella described, it's just, too much a coincidence. But, maybe Edward's wrong," _

"_I need to get her out of here! I can't, Jake, what am I going to do?!" _

"_We can protect her. We won't let anything happen to her. Don't you remember who we were up against only a few years back? When Bella was in the same situation?"_

"_Yeah," His voice was calmer, but still not completely at ease. "I need to go and check on her." _

"_The Cullens will update me as soon as they find anything else out, if they do," Jacob paused before I heard footsteps coming up the gravel. "Emmett and Jasper are out protecting the lands now. Are Embry and Seth still out?"_

"_Yeah, Leah and Sam, too."_

I shuddered. What the hell was going on? Am I involved in this mess? I need to go home; I need to get away from these creeps. I don't understand exactly what game they are playing, who has caught how I seem to smell, or what the hell the other boys and Leah are protecting me from. All I know is that I have never in my life experienced something as fucked up as this. I headed into the bathroom when I heard Paul enter through the sliding door. I sat down on the edge of the tub, putting my head in my hands. I felt the overwhelming sensation of terror wash over me as sweat collected on my brow. I knew I was going to have a panic attack. I needed to get out of here, and fast.

I considered jumping out the bathroom window but quickly decided against it. I would only hurt myself, or make so much noise that someone would come and find me. I sat up and the blood rushed to my head causing a familiar dizzy spell. I patted my face with some water from the tap, and took a deep breath. I slowly turned the door knob only to find Paul standing right outside, waiting for me.

"Everything okay?" He asked numbly. My temper had gone from bad to worse in a matter of seconds.

"No. I'm going home." I pushed past him, heading for the exit. I barely waved my hand at Jacob and Emily who were now sitting down at the table discussing another thing I was clearly not worthy enough to know.

"Addison! Wait!" Paul came up from behind me, he was far too fast for me to outrun.

"Why?! So you can lie to me some more? Keeping stuff from me, are we Paul?" I felt my face flush beat red, my arms going numb and my hands trembling.

"You don't understand! I'm going to tell you everything, right now, okay, baby?" He took my arms in his hands to try and steady me. I felt my eyes rolling towards the back of my head just before my legs gave out.

My heart was beating wildly and Paul noticed. His eyes stared at my chest for moment before he quickly sprung into action. He laid me down on the ground, above the smooth multicolored stones. I groaned as he put my head in his lap and stroked my hair. His lips touched my forehead before he hollered up at the house.

"Emily! I need a glass of water, now!" He reached down to stroke my chin and neck and whispered in my ear.

"Baby, where are you pills? Do you have them with you?" His words came out like waves crashing, echoing my brain. I gently nodded my head and held up my bag that was hanging from my wrist. My arm was shaking so badly that Paul quickly removed my bag before lightly placing my wrist back to the cold ground.

"Oh my God! Is she okay?!" Emily's concerned voice came from behind Paul. I saw her out of my peripheral vision when I opened my eyes slightly.

"I'm fine," I muttered pathetically. Paul's fingers touched underneath my eyes and soothed me.

I heard my pill bottle being opened and Paul grabbing the glass from Emily's hands. He sat me up so I rested against his chest and my superior torso was upright. I opened my eyes to find both of his hands in front of my face from behind me, one with two round pills, the other a glass filled with water. I reached up to try and take the pills from him but my hand was too out of control to grab the small blue tablets.

"Here you go, baby," He placed them onto my lips and I used my tongue to bring them into my mouth. "Drink," He ordered, putting a straw up to my mouth. I sucked down as much as I could until I heard the slouching sound as I knew the glass was empty.

"Does she need more water? I can grab it," Emily tried to take the glass from Paul's hand but I shook my head.

"I'm fine, Emily, I don't need it. Thank you," I added quietly. Paul's hand soothed my face once more.

"You're okay, shh, you're okay." He mumbled into my skin, putting his head down to rest against my neck. "Everything's alright, I'm right here."

I counted backwards from fifty, like I usually did when I tried to get my pills to kick in. Before I knew it, they had worked on getting my hands to stop trembling and my heartbeat to go back to its normal pace. I sat up away from Paul and he put his hands on my waist.

"I can stand," I rambled, trying to get to my feet. Paul steadied me and guided my body up.

"Okay," He answered once I was stable on two feet. "Just breathe."

"Jesus! It's hard to be mad at you, Paul!" I let out, frustrated beyond belief. His deep chuckle came up from his chest.

"C'mon, let's go inside and talk. Emily will make you tea. How does that sound?" He tried to comfort me running his hands up and down, in between my shoulder blades.

"As long as you tell me what the fuck has been going on all night, then that's sounds great." I garbled walking back towards the door.

"Anything you want." He answered as we entered the cottage side by side, his hand squeezing mine.


	9. Secrets Unfold

**A/N: Short chapter, but important. Please RR! **

I followed Paul back into Emily's house silently. Emily watched me with a concerned expression that made me feel awkward and out of place. Jacob stood next to the counter with his arms wrapped around his chest. He would not meet my eyes.

"Do you need anything, Addison?" Emily asked quietly, I barely heard her.

"Actually, I was hoping you could put on a pot of tea for her, please?" Paul retorted, pulling out a chair from the kitchen table and motioned for me to take a seat.

"It's okay, really, I can do it-" I started to walk towards the stove, ignoring Paul's request to sit. He quickly had his hands on my waist, pulling my body back towards him.

"No, no, I can do that." Emily stepped in, already at the sink filling up the teapot. I grumbled to myself before Paul guided me into the chair. He walked around to the other side and sat across from me. Jacob shifted impatiently.

"I'm going to go find Sam," Jake stated and headed out the front door. He disappeared quietly, barely making a sound. Emily set the teapot on the burner, turning the heat on high, before uncomfortably walking out of the room. She mumbled to herself about folding laundry.

"So," I started turning my head to face Paul. I tapped my fingers against the dark wooden table. "Are you going to talk?"

"Yes," He nodded his head respectively. "Please try to keep an open mind and don't freak out, okay?" His eyes burned mine and I had no other choice but to agree numbly.

"Do you know anything about La Push? History wise, I mean?" I shook my head to his question. "Well, to start, I'm Quiluete, which is a Native American tribe that settled here in La Push around the 1700s. They were my ancestors."

"We have traits that have been passed on through our bloodline from generation to generation. Our impulses and reactions are already in our blood; in our bodies. Our chemical make up decides when we should fully understand our time to _phase_." He emphasized the word.

"You see," He pondered for a moment, breaking my gaze. "Our bodies are designed to protect others from things that a normal person could not provide protection for." My eyes squinted, confused. He started again. "We are born to protect our families from the cold ones, or," I had totally lost him at this point.

"The cold ones?" I questioned him curiously, my face leaning towards his. Sweat collected on his forehead.

"Yeah," He stopped suddenly before reaching for my hand. "Vampires." I barely coughed a laugh. Paul whipped his head up. "You told me you were going to keep an open mind." He let out furiously.

"I am keeping an open mind, Paul," I let go of his grasp bringing my hands back to sit in my lap. "But, vampires? Jesus Christ," I laughed. "Next thing you're going to tell me is that you're a werewolf." I shook my head.

He stared at me in amazement, his jaw dropping. I looked down at his hand that was trembling.

"Werewolf?" I questioned him in shock. My disbelieving tone was upsetting him. "You're a werewolf?"

He nodded his head slowly. My mind spun in a million different directions as the bile rose in my throat. I wanted to move, leave this house, leave this town, but Paul was keeping me grounded as though gravity didn't exist. I couldn't leave because I couldn't leave _him_. I could never bear to be apart from him. He was all I had; he was my world.

"Addison, you okay?" He asked as I came back down to reality. His arm had reached across the table and he was now caressing my cheek.

"Werewolf, really?" Maybe it was the two anxiety pills I had taken moments before, but I was surprisingly calm. "Can you show me?" My eyes widened in excitement.

"Absolutely not!" Paul shrieked before I could picture the imaginations. "You could get hurt," His head turned towards Emily who was now in the living room folding clothes. Realization sunk in and I gasped loudly.

Her scars; a werewolf did that to her.

"Did you do that? To Emily?" I whispered, disgusted.

"No, of course not." He retorted sharply. "Sam did," My mouth flung open in response.

"Sam loves her! Why would he do such a thing! They are engaged,"

"He didn't mean to, Addison," He sighed heavily, as if it was a stupid question. "Sometimes we can't control our anger. If we get mad enough, we can phase quickly, without warning. You ever hear of being in the wrong place at the wrong time? Well, that's what happened to Emily." He explained. My mouth snapped shut.

"So stay away from you during a full moon?" I asked.

"I don't need a full moon to turn into a werewolf, Addy. Hollywood doesn't exactly have everything right, you know." He let out a bitter laugh before staring at Emily again as she hummed a tune. "Sam loves Emily as much as I love you."

"How do you know that?" I questioned him, fixating my eyes on the beautifully broken girl across the hall.

"Because Emily is Sam's imprint," Paul stated. "And you are mine."

"Imprint?" I asked curiously, confused.

"It's when we find our soul mates; or our purpose in life. You are my purpose in life." My heart thudded in my chest. I felt water fill up to the brim of my eyelids. I sucked in my breath as he continued.

"The first time I saw you, it was like nothing I had ever experienced before. Everything stopped, the wind, the noise, the world. My feet were planted on the ground, but gravity was no longer keeping me there. It was you," I shuddered. Our thoughts were identical. "The only sound I could hear was your heart beating, just like now, and from that moment on I knew it was my job to make sure it always stays beating. I will make sure of that; I will take care of you." Tears fell from my eyes as I felt them slide down my cheeks. "The only sight I could see was your beautiful brown eyes that turn gold in the sun. I knew that as long as I can see them, I would be alright. You are all that matters anymore."

I couldn't stay in my chair any longer. I rose up and rushed to his side. He stood up and pulled me into a hug, burying my face into his chest.

"I love you," I told him truthfully, meaning the words more than anything I have uttered in my whole existence.

"I love you, too," He breathed in, his face hidden in my hair. "I always will,"

I pulled back from his strong hold to stare at his face. He was so beautiful; his eyes were a chestnut brown, his cheekbones strong and structured. His chin perfectly angled. He rubbed my cheeks with his thumbs, wiping away the stray tears.

"I'm in danger, aren't I?" My voice troubled him, as his eyes grew dark. "I overheard your conversation with Jacob."

"We've handled this before. You don't have anything to worry about. I will keep you safe until we find the _leech_." The menacing tone sent shivers down my spine. "I promise you," He continued after a long pause. "Even if I have to patrol your house twenty-four-seven," He added under his breath.

I sighed contently, the fear in me subsiding. The tea pot whistled, echoing the kitchen as Emily reappeared to turn off the stove. I barely noticed her; the noise faintly hit my ears. Paul had a strange effect on me as I stand in his arms. I felt security. Perhaps it was the simple fact that my father could no longer hurt me, or the idea that my boyfriend is a mythical creature who was willing to die for me. All I knew, that here, in Paul's arms, I had never been more safe in my life.


End file.
